Thursday, 4 August 2011

SanDisk ExtremeFFS Significantly Improves SSD Performance

SanDisk ExtremeFFS Significantly Improves SSD Performance

Posted in: Computer Hardware, Featured Articles

Recently memory giant SanDisk unveiled a method that can be used to achieve a drastic improvement in reliability and performance for SSDs by using an advanced flash file system created solely for solid state drives, called ExtremeFFS. ExtremeFFS is a next generation, patented flash management system. With the capability of accelerating random write speeds up to 100x in existing systems, Extreme FFS will feature in SanDisk’s products in 2009. ExtremeFFS incorporates a non-blocking architecture in which all the NAND channels behave independently, enabling some to write, while others read and collect garbage. ExtremeFFS also offers intelligent learning for user patterns, and localizes data to maximize the products endurance and performance.Solid state drives do not have any moving components, and since their predecessors (hard drives) speed is measured in revolutions per minute, they needed a way to gauge the speed of an SSD. This fueled the creation of vRPM, virtual RPM. vRPM accurately and easily allows customers/consumers to compare SSDs to HDDs when used in PCs. It has been predicted that SSD net performance next year will be more than four times faster than current solid state drives and almost six times faster than the latest 2.5" HDDs.
In addition to virtual RPM, SanDisk also announced LDE, or Long-Term Data Endurance. LDE simplifies endurance as a useful number, which would be the first actual metric data of long term endurance. You can compare it to measuring tread wear on a tire. LDE represents the total amount of data writes allowed in the lifespan of a SSD. SanDisk believes other companies should take note and follow suit.
When it comes to LDE’s impact on SSD adoption, Greg Wong of Forward Insights said: "LDE provides OEMs a simple way to compare SSDs and determine, based on application usage patterns, which drives are suitable for a particular application. The beauty of LDE," he added, "is that it captures endurance in one single, understandable figure. A common metric is necessary to facilitate SSD adoption moving forward."